SADC throws MADAGASCAR out of UN

28 Sep 2009 01:23 (South Africa)

After allowing Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe to do to what he wants for the past nine years, the Southern African Development Community flip-flopped to block Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina from addressing the UN General Assembly because he recently came to power in a violent coup.
That paragon of African democracy, the Democratic Republic of Congo, speaking on behalf of SADC -- which suspended Madagascar after the coup -- asked that Rajoelina be barred. This caused chaotic scenes which led to most member states abstaining from a vote on the issue.
Unfortunately, the UN has only itself to blame, having invited Rajoelina to climate change talks in New York. Madagascar’s opposition parties lauded SADC’s action, as Rajoelina has already muddied up a power-sharing deal signed in Mozambique last month. Wonder what the UN was thinking when they invited the coup leader, and whether they meant political or ecological climate?